Evanesce into Darkness: Yoko's Deception
by Raynedark
Summary: Two souls cannot peacfully exisit within one body forever; all flowers have seeds. Complete!
1. Longest fall

Yu Yu Hakusho is not mine.

It's raining. The rain is my muse. 

1) Longest fall. 

Rain. Slow and steady it fell.

Down. Plummeting through the trees. 

It caught on leaves and pooled. When the pools weighed the leaf down the leaf bent its head as if exasperated. Like sweat from its brow the bead of water fell. The steady motion of weighing and bending continued through the canopy. 

Then, like a random clearing on a cloudy day, the canopy ended and there was just open space beneath it. Now was their longest fall. Each one, after being coddled and held by thirsty, grateful leaves, was dropping to a parched ground. Each bit of water of the sky knew that soon, seconds, it was the end of a journey and the start of a new trend of being fodder and then being reborn again to the sky. 

There was something in their way though. Someone was lying there, in that clear space. Someone was soaking up all the cold rain. Instead of being eaten by the ground, they lit upon cold skin and pooled turning red. They fell to damp clothes, beaded and then soaked in caught in the net of closely woven fabric. They fell into crimson hair and became entangled in the strands and locks. 

Below this body, the earth cried for the rain and mourned each drop it was denied.

.:Ok, in order to move on I need three reviews and then you get the next chapter!:.


	2. Further into the Dark

Yu Yu Hakusho is not mine

2) Further into the dark

He breathed deeply. Chill gathered like a cruel blanket over his body. Every bit of his being was aching with three kinds of pain: physical, emotional, and mental. He was hurt from the fight, he was hurt from the words, he was hurt because he was trapped in his own head. 

Frantic. Look. Look. No exit. No escape. No, not those shadows. I don't want to see! Don't show me. I already know! I know! 

A pale face twisted with fear and despondency in the rain. Drops slid from his eyes and cheeks and formed tainted rivulets down his face to the awaiting ground. 

I don't want this! I want my freedom back! Let me go!

His body was no use. His eyes would not open. His arms would not reach, his hands would not grasp, leg would not kick. He had lost all control. 

But it only seemed right. Two souls could only exist in the same body for so long. One of the souls had to win control. One of the souls would be able to take control of the malleable form and create it as he wished. One of those souls could take control of an entire life. 

It was a rampage in the darkness of his own mind. He could not hide from himself and he could have no secrets in this realm. He could also have no friends. 

The red light darted from corner to corner, looking everywhere. A silver light waited high above with a haughty air as he watched his vessel's true soul scamper around like a terrified rat. 

"Don't think you haven't been of use," he laughed. The red soul shivered and flung itself further into the dark.

.:Two reviews to get to number three!:.


	3. seeds

Yu Yu Hakusho is not mine

3) seeds

"He's late. He's never late, or at least not by this much."

"You sure you looked everywhere Urameshi? That little creep could pop out of a soda bottle for all we know."

"I'm sure I've looked everywhere!"

"Hey, where's fox boy?" Yusuke was quiet and thought. He looked out the window at the grey sheets hung over the city. "He's prolly out there looking for Hiei." Kuwabara nodded and contemplated the grey as well. The rain fell from the eaves in streams and created a constant patter to the asphalt outside. Somewhere closer by than they wished, lighting flashed and thunder crackled after, the sound round and hollow. 

The silence needed breaking. Kuwabara knew so. "So, half the team's here. Tell me what's up." 

Drawing his eyes from the dismal scene outside his window Yusuke gathered his thoughts. "Yesterday I felt some serious spirit energy. I don't know what it was."

"Ya, it was huge, I felt it too."

"Also, I think, I think I saw something. Someone. Bui."

"That huge guy from the Dark Tournament?!"

"Yeah, remember, Hiei didn't kill him."

"Little rat shoulda finished the job," Kuwabara grumbled. Yusuke breathed deep. "That's not all I saw. Outside of Kurama's house, there was this tall guy, all in black with really long black hair. He was wicked pale and had a scarf over his mouth and nose." 

The orange headed one looked stumped. "I think it was Karasu you idiot!"

"Nah, Kurama killed that freak," he said sitting back and pulling back the tab on a cool beer. Yusuke leaned forward, elbows on knees. "Yah, I guess, but he made him into a plant, and plants have seeds right?"  Kuwabara took a large sip and thought it over. "I guess, but I'm no gardener."

"What if Bui took some of those seeds after their fight. We were all a little distracted."

"Urameshi, you gotta stop thinking. 

.:Two for four! Or is that baseball?:.


	4. diluted

Ooh, this is my fave chapter, but before you get it I need to do some responding. I'll be brief. To Iceheart3000:short is my style, but perhaps one day i will flesh it out, but for now short and sweet!

To Authoress: Sorry I don't write your whole name, it's long. But yes, I like that physcopath. I think he's creepy and quite a hoot. 

And to Happy Utena chan: Your name is long as well, but je jure (I swear, not like the movie where they bury the mother in the clock) there are no spoilers.

Finally, thanks to all who review me, I feel loved and existent!

There, now read!

Yu Yu Hakusho is not mine

4) Diluted

Hiei was soaking wet. His eyes were closed as he perched Yusuke's rooftop. Under a bandana on his forehead the Jagan glowed purple. He had just caught the tail end of the conversation. Something about his being a little rat, his teeth ground at the diminutive term, and something about Karasu being back. 

As the talking ceased, he leapt from the roof and met the ground softly. Perhaps that was where Kurama was now. No, he would feel their aura's if they were fighting and right now, he could sense no aura but his own and Yukina's. Hers was always with him.

Hiei thought back on his search for his friend. He was obviously the first to notice Kurama's disappearance. He had gone over to speak with the kitsune about the strange aura from the other morning. When he reached his home, Kurama's window was dark and there was no one inside. Opening the window from the outside, Hiei had gone in. 

There were no signs of recent entrance and the only thing he heard in the whole house was the sobbing of a miserable mother. The only thing that looked out of place in the tidy room was a note on the desk stating simply, in spindly handwriting, a date, time and place. The date was for the preceding day and the time that only five hours previous. The place was some abandoned lot. 

Assuming that there might be a clue at the place Hiei went. As he flitted from corner to corner and roof to roof, the rain started. Clouds had menaced all day and the storm had finally broken, but not in a satisfying way. The rain was a mere spitting. But as he neared the lot the rain grew heavier as if trying intentionally to dramatize the situation. 

The lot appeared to him a shallow lake in the deluge. He felt pieces of splintered aura all over the cement. They were rocking between the raindrops and giving off a very slight energy. He knew that he was in the right place. 

Looking down at the dark water he saw the smoke like curls of red. Liquid tendrils reached out and out and became diluted. They seemed to stroke his booted foot tauntingly saying, "See, guess who we belong to." Hiei kicked them away. 

.:I hope I'm keeping you hanging so at least two people will review so you can move on:.


	5. consume me

Concerning the previous chapter: For those of you who are wondering if I killed Yukina again the answer is "NO!" I don't hate her. Hiei's jagan just always lets him know where she is. Don't freak out (coughHappy Utena chancough)

Yu Yu Hakusho is not mine

5) consume me

"So, tell me Suichi, which one of us will it be. Tell me honestly," the silver spirit of Yoko laughed. Kurama's flame light spat, "You planned that fight didn't you!" Yoko only laughed. "Weak and defenseless. You can't even trust yourself!" 

The truth threatened to shatter an already weak existence. Kurama couldn't trust his former form. But who could trust a thief? Anger quickly conquered the fears. "Tell me, did you set up that fight just to get advantage now?" 

Yoko only laughed again. It was infuriating. The red spirit flew off the black plane into the black sky at the glint of silver. Laughter stopped and was replaced with angry words. "Do you really think me such a weak strategist! Think further back Kurama!" He let forth a blast of silver aura and knocked the red thing back down. 

Dazed and unmoving Kurama thought back. He thought back to when he and the one above him were truly merged. The times then were not so atrocious. Then the days were filled with golden light. He knew as he accessed these memories that Yoko too was seeing them. Somehow they were still tied. Kurama could feel it as they shared memories of better times. 

"Don't you miss that sameness, Yoko?" The silver light above him started a decent. Slow and deliberate. "Yes Kurama, I miss that. I want it back. Let's have it back." The decent abruptly turned to a fall. "Let me back!" Yoko screamed. 

"No!" Kurama scurried out of the way. "I want to be my own self. If a body will break with two souls can't you imagine how it would be for two souls to try and be one when that could never really happen again."

"Of course it could happen!" He roared now chasing the little red spark. "I want to unify."

"No, you don't want to become one, you just want to consume me!" Kurama cried fleeing off into the never-ending plane. 

.:What's gunna happen? Gimme 2r and I'll spill:.


	6. face of the storm

Yu Yu Hakusho is not mine

6) face of the storm

Hiei felt the blast of aura. It was strong even so far away. It was calling as well. Something in it cried fear. Something of it tasted like Kurama. He honed in on the direction it assailed him from and set out that way. 

He was setting out directly into the face of the storm. The rain was driving into his eyes. He squinted against it and just followed the trail of energy. It began to pulse. It felt urgent and each time the call it let out was stronger and stronger. It went just a little faster than his own quick heartbeat. Perhaps if he got his heart rate up just that little bit.

He felt it. The pulses were equal to his heartbeat. There! He felt it. Something in him changed and something about him was going outward. It was reaching towards Kurama now. Slowly, he let his own spirit energy leak out and follow that line out to his dearest friend. 

~*~

Yusuke jumped up. It felt as though a massive wave had just broken over him. "What is-" Kuwabara started but a second wave broke over them both. Something was happening. Dropping his can and running for the door, just barely grabbing his coat, Yusuke went to follow whatever it was. Kuwabara was not far behind. 

"What do you think it is?" he called ahead.  Yusuke shook his head and shouted back "I'm not sure, but I can feel it calling. Whatever it is it wants us wherever it is. 

So they ran through the muddy streets. So the ran right into the wind and rain. Someone was beseeching their presence. Who were they to deny that person?

~*~

"There you are." A malicious smile crested under the scarf. He turned the opposite direction and ran. Karasu seemed to flicker forward. A smile and laughter were in his dark eyes. He knew that he was going to get the one that eluded him. He knew that he was finally going to taste Kurama's blood on his lips. He salivated at the thought. 

.:Karasu's creepy. How about 2 people tell me about than and I'll give you 7:.


	7. unless

Yu Yu Hakusho is not mine

7) Unless

Kurama cried out as Yoko pinned him down. His entire presence was hungry. He was ravenous and his prey was down. He was going to feast on the weaker soul and assume ultimate power. But Kurama knew something. He could feel a trickle of dark flavored energy drip into him. He knew he had to buy time. 

"Tell me something!" he screamed to the predator, "when did the planning start?"

Yoko eased up and thought. He was wild now, he had not the time to be civilized, but he wanted to gloat. The plan was so long in the making. He decided to divulge the story. 

"When Karasu put his hands around your neck. He touched you for a mere second and it was then I asked him to let you kill him. I knew that you would use a plant to do it. I have  played the fight out so many times. I knew you were terrified of him and that you would fall into an utter repose after killing him. But I knew that with the right help he could come back. 

"Karasu talked to Bui and they formulated a plan. Hiei didn't really win that fight, Bui just needed to stay alive. Bui retrieve a seed from the plant that ate Karasu and cultivated that. When he was ready he set Karasu free again. I called to him. He came to me! I knew that in the initial shock of seeing him again you would be weakened. The first step through the door.

"As you were fighting him he hurt your body. You were barely alive when I made him stop and let you flee. My second foot was in the door and I just waited until you were far away from those you care for before I stepped into the light and dragged you back into the dark."

More time was needed. "You are terribly clever. I see that I could never win-" Yoko laughed again. True arrogance shone through and he didn't hear the last word of the sentence. Unless. 

Now was the time. Kurama had all the energy from Hiei. He was the one that would be doing the consuming. From beneath he lunged at Yoko. The silver light was off guard. He flew backwards. Kurama was upon him before he could right himself and bit into the other soul. 

.:Great, another cliffhanger. Bet you can't guess how to move on:.


	8. Stand down

To XXX Yes, I like short so I write short. If you have any stuff you can email me your pen name and I would love to read it!

Yu Yu Hakusho is not mine

8) Stand down

Kurama's cold and battered body lay there. Hiei could only stare. His knees gave way and he fell onto the wet grass. Shaking, he crawled to the form. Kurama's face was warped with agony. Cuts were all over the pale, fair face and they bled lightly. Cuts were all down the kitsune's body. Clothes were torn and reddened.

Hiei reached out a hand to the face and touched it lightly. Kurama was cold. Almost deathly so. Almost. Sitting up Hiei drew Kurama to him. He refused to let him die. He had to keep him warm and whisper words of encouragement.

Yusuke and Kuwabara came in on the poignant scene. Hiei clutched Kurama's rent body. The demon's head was bent over and crooning to the body. "Do you think Kurama's-" Kuwabara choked out the sentence. Yusuke shook his head slowly in indecision. He stepped forward.

"Hiei!" he called out as he stumbled into the little clearing. The jaganshi's head snapped up. "Hiei is he dead?!" Yusuke's words were dimly slurred. "No," Hiei's strong voice assured. Nevertheless, Yusuke reach out to the cold face turned into the demon's chest. "He's so cold." Yusuke felt a hand on his shoulder.

"We aren't alone Urameshi," Kuwabara said staring into the distance. They all felt it. From both sides now. Two more were coming. Two strong opponents. Hiei began to rise but Yusuke held his hand out. "Stand down, you need to protect Kurama. We can hold them off until he wakes up." For once in his life, Hiei listened. He settled back down and pulled the unconscious friend closer.

Bui came from one side of the forest and Karasu the other. Karasu seemed amused but when his gaze traveled to Bui he became angry. He flitted over to his old teammate. "I told you this was my fight." Before the large man could protest Karasu stroked just under his chin and let the head explode off the impeder in his affairs. The rest of the body fell back and gushed.

Yusuke and Kuwabara took the ready positions. "You have to go through us first. Besides, an unconscious guy doesn't suffer well," Yusuke stated. Karasu cocked his head and then flew forward.

.:Nan do na TWO! Nan do na:.


	9. Awakening and Evanescing

Ok, this is it. Last one. Just a few words before you go on. I just wanna thank EVERYONE who reviewed. It really means alot to me, even if it's just a few words. You people have made me feel special and I hope I have done the characters in Yu Yu Hakusho justice. I hope I haven't wasted your time and that you enjoyed this. Once more, THANK YOU! :D

Yu Yu Hakusho is not mine

9) Awakening and Evanescing

Suddenly Kurama felt the golden darkness shower him Hiei was here. Hiei was in contact with him. The flow was wide open. Drawing off all of his own power as well as Hiei's Kurama bit down again. Shimmering words of endearment and care and encouragement fluttered down onto him. He was truly empowered.

Slowly. He devoured the tainted thief that he once was. Each bite was sumptuous and filled with the utmost power. Slowly all that power came into his small red flame. Everything inside him was moving and making room for all of the new knowledge and skills and memories. Yes, even memories.

Kurama kept only one happy memory of Yoko's. It was a warm sun shining memory. He was in his truest for of a many tailed fox. The sun was high above him and he had just run a very long way. He was now in the gracious shade of a large tree in a wheaten brown meadow. He had the best sense of satisfaction and he was warm and comfortable. A welcome lethargy came to him and he began to fall asleep in the warm field. He had no thoughts then of needing definitive power, he had no thoughts of hate. All there was there was warmth and content.

He was shaken from the reverie by sounds of fighting. Gradually he blinked open his verdant eyes. He saw the dark black shirt of Hiei and breathed in his rain soaked cinder smell. He stirred. "Kurama." Their eyes met briefly and Hiei released him.

Kurama was stiff and sore and swollen. His soul still had to digest. It took him a minute to realize the fight once more. Kuwabara and Yusuke were panting as they narrowly evaded Karasu's attacks. Both were a bit bloodied.

Agonizingly, Kurama stood. And immediately dodged. Karasu was aware of his awakening. "So you've come back to me! Now we can finish what we started and I can finally kill you." the black haired bomb fanatic shrieked.

Kurama stood firm. "No, it is not I that will die."

"Ah, you know how I love your determination. It will make the pleasure of your pain greater." Karasu darted towards him. But Kurama was gone in the blink of an eye and on the other side of the meadow. "This will not take long."

He had Hiei's katana in hand and it was his turn to take the offensive. With the swift grace of a fox he moved forward and in a heartbeat had cut through Karasu. He turned to looked at the expression on his opponents face. Mouth was open in awe and eyes were filled with tears. "Then… you don't… love… me?"

"No."

Karasu sobbed and then fell apart.

Crossing the clearing Kurama returned the sword and then collapsed. "I am very tired. You wouldn't mind taking me home would you?" he asked with a little smile.

"Not at all," Yusuke said as he and Kuwabara each took an arm and put them over their shoulders. Hiei Followed quietly. Kurama tried to murmur a thank you, but his eyes had closed and he was back sleeping.

There, in the exhausted black of sleep he felt the lingering memories being gathered by Yoko. Silver hair was blowing in an unreal wind. They stood and looked at each other and then the handsome fox turned. He had evanesced into the darkness.


End file.
